Marking tool for molding



June 4, 1968 G. H. VON KOSCIELSKI 3,386,177

MARKING TOOL FOR MOLDING Filed May 8, 1967 Fig. 2

2s Flg. 3

INVENTOR.

GEORGE H. VON KOSCIELSKI BY Mad-6n United States Patent 3,386,177 MARKING TOOL FOR MOLDING George H. Von Koscielski, 255 N. 1st St., El Cajon, Calif. 92021 Filed May 8, 1967,Ser. No. 636,815 Claims. (Cl. 33174) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The tool is a simple, unitary channel-like element shaped to fit the cross section of a molding, specifically quarter-round molding, and has guide edge portions by which the molding can be marked for a square end cut, a miter cut in either direction, or an arcuate undercut for fitting one piece of molding perpendicular to an uncut piece.

Background of the invention The present invention relates to hand tools and specifically to a marking tool for molding.

When making corner joints of molding a miter box is normally used to guide the cuts. A miter box is subject to wear and, when the saw does not fit the guide slots closely, the results may not be precise enough for neat mouding joints. Also the miter box is limited to square or straight diagonal cuts and cannot be used to make shaped cuts, by which one piece of molding can be joined perpendicularly to another, uncut, piece of molding.

Summary of the invention The tool described herein is shaped to fit closely over a piece of molding and is primarly adaptable to quarterround molding, the ends of the tool being shaped to conform to a straight miter cut or a quarter-round undercut, depending on the side from which the cut is made.

In the center portion of the tool is a guide slot for marking a square cut line on the molding, so that all cuts necessary for conventional molding joints can be marked as required with consistent accuracy. The tool is small and can be readily carried in a pocket, making it practical to have a tool for each of the few standard sizes of molding.

Brief description of the drawings FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the tool;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevation view thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a rear elevation view thereof;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the tool with a piece of molding indicated to show marking for a straight miter cut;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the end of the mitered molding following the marking step of FIGURE FIGURE 6 is an exploded perspective view of a joint using an undercut molding; and

FIGURE 7 is a bottom plan view of the undercut portion of molding.

Similar characters of reference indicate similar or identical elements and portions throughout the specification and throughout the views of the drawings.

Description of the preferred embodiments The tool 10 comprises a short channel-like element having a flat rear wall 12 and a curved front wall 14 extending from the upper edge of the rear wall, the internal cross section being that of the quarter-round molding on which the tool is to be used. At the center of the tool is a transverse guide slot 16 extending from rear wall 12 through the bend 18 and into front wall 14. Guide slot "ice 16 is perpendicular to the length of the tool and divides the tool substantially in half, the slot ending short of the edges of the walls. It the tool is made of metal, as preferred, the narrow connecting portions 20 and 22 in the rear wall 12 and front wall 14, respectively, will have ample strength to prevent distortion or breakage, since the tool is not subjected to undue strain in use.

At each end the rear wall 12 has an arcuately concave rear guide edge 24 extending from lower edge 26 to the bend 18, the radius of the guide edge being the same as the internal cross sectional radius of front wall 14, or the cross sectional radius of the related quarter-round molding. As an example of typical dimensions, for one inch molding the rear wall 12 would be one inch high, the radius of guide edge 24 would be one inch and the internal radius of front wall 14, perpendicular to the rear wall, would be one inch, with the center of radius at lower edge 26.

Each end of front wall 14 has a miter guide edge 28 extending from bend 18 to the lower edge 30 of the front wall. When viewed from above or in the plane of the rear wall 12, as in FIGURE 4, the miter guide edge 28 is straight and at an angle of 45 degrees to the rear wall. Viewed from the rear, however, as in FIGURE 3, the contours of guide edges 24 and 28 are coincident due to the curvature of the front wall. The lower edges 26 and 30 are thus of equal length and form two sides of a rectangle at the base of the tool.

The tool can be made from an extrusion of suitable cross section by making the diagonal cuts vertically through the curved front wall portion for the miter edges, then cutting the arcuate edges in the rear wall. Alternatively the tool can be made from sheet metal bent to shape, in which case the miter guide edges will be developed as arcs and will assume their proper form when the front wall is curved.

To mark a conventional miter, the tool is placed on the end of a length of molding 32, as in FIGURE 4, and a guide line 34 is marked on the curved face of the molding along guide edge 28. The tool is then removed and the molding cut vertically on guide line 34, to provide the mitered end face 36 shown in FIGURE 5. A matching piece of molding to make a corner joint is marked by using the other end of the tool.

Square end cuts are marked through guide slot 16 on the curved face and one fiat face of the molding.

In some instances it may be necessary to make a corner joint without mitering, as when one piece of molding is already secured in place and cannot be cut. The molding to be added must then be cut to fit over the curved face of the molding already in place. This is easily ac complished by marking the flat face of the molding along the rear guide edge 24. The cut is then made perpendicular to the marked face and following the marked line, which will produce an arcuately undercut end 38 on molding 40, as in FIGURE 6, to fit against uncut molding 42.

All conventional molding joint cuts can thus be marked with one simple tool. The low cost and small size make it practical to have a tool for each of the few standard sizes of molding in common use and the different sizes of tools will nest within each other for storage.

It is understood that minor variation from the form of the invention disclosed herein may be made without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that the specification and drawings are to be considered as merely illustrative rather than limiting.

I claim:

1. A marking tool for molding, comprising:

an elongated, channel-like member having a vertical flat rear wall and a curved front wall extending forwardly and downwardly from the upper edge of said rear wall, the internal cross section of said member being a close fit for the molding to be marked;

said front wall having diagonally cut miter guide edges at each end from said rear wall to the lower edge of the front Wall;

each end of said rear wall having concave guide edges from the upper to the lower edges thereof, conforming in curvature to the inner cross section of 'said front Wall.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein said miter guide edges and said concave guide edges are coincident when viewed perpendicular to the plane of said rear wall.

3. The structure of claim 2, wherein the lower edges of said front and rear walls are of equal length and form two sides of a rectangle at the base of the tool.

4. The structure of claim 1, wherein said concave guide edges and the internal cross section of said front wall are of equal radii, each having its center of radius at the lower edge of the rear wall.

5. The structure of claim 1, and including a vertical guide slot in said front wall intermediate the ends thereof, said slot being perpendicular to said rear wall and extending into the rear wall.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,873,534 2/1959 Purviance. 3,222,792 12/1965 Eshom.

SAMUEL S. MATTHEWS, Primary Examiner. 

